Recent press coverage on California and Oregon’s reduced wild salmon runs may be leaving consumers to think that all wild-caught salmon in the U.S. are in short supply or at risk. However, in Alaska the salmon continue to be abundant and managed for sustainability. In fact, Alaska supplies 90-95% of the wild-caught salmon from North America. Last year, the commercial harvest in Alaska exceeded 212 million fish—the fourth largest salmon harvest on record.

There is plenty of eco-friendly wild salmon available this season, which officially opened in early May and extends into October. The 2008 salmon harvest is currently projected at approximately 672,000 King, 47 million Sockeye, 4.4 million Coho, 61 million Pink, and 18.7 million Keta. As of mid-June, the current total Alaska salmon catch was at just over 3 million fish.

Since 1959, Alaska’s constitution has mandated that "fish…be utilized, developed and maintained on the sustained yield principle." In Alaska, science rules over all other motivations, including economic and political, ensuring a sustainable harvest for future generations. This dedication illustrates why Alaska’s fisheries management practices are considered a global model, and why Alaska continues to celebrate sustainable harvests year after year.

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) provides educational materials that help empower foodservice professionals and their staff to answer potential questions from consumers. Please visit www.alaskaseafood.org to order free training materials, including the latest science-based information on sustainability.